Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center (GECRC) is all about giving kids from under-resourced families the tools they need to succeed—in school and in life.

In 2025, GECRC is focused on transitioning its social-emotional learning programming from the pilot phase, for which they received a 2022 DuPage Community Transformation Partnership (DCTP) grant, to a point where social-emotional learning is embedded in all aspects of GECRC’s programs and culture going forward. That includes The Character Effect, a proven curriculum that helps kids build resilience, manage emotions, and develop positive relationships. With our DCTP grant, GECRC can now provide additional staff training, so this curriculum can be used across all its after-school sites. That means the program will make a positive difference in even more lives.

Beyond social-emotional learning, this grant has enabled GECRC to take a major step toward its goal of serving all eligible students in school districts 89 and 41. GECRC is also continuing to partner with local schools and community organizations to create tailored learning experiences. By working together, they’re ensuring each child gets individual support.

Success Story: Isabela’s Journey

Isabela Gallegos knows GECRC’s life-changing impact as well as anyone. As a student in GECRC’s programs, she found a safe, supportive place to grow academically and personally. Now, she’s a college freshman pursuing a degree in education, with dreams of becoming a Spanish teacher.

She’s also a volunteer with GECRC, supporting the organization that changed her own life years ago. It’s her way of giving back—tapping into her own experience to support the next generation.

Looking Ahead

For GECRC, receiving this DCTP grant is about expanding opportunities and helping every child succeed, so our community can continue to grow and thrive.

“We’re so excited about this grant because it allows us to grow our programs at a time when academic and emotional support is more important than ever,” said Leah Harding, executive director of GECRC. “This funding will help us serve more students, enrich our programs, and build even stronger community partnerships.”

For more inspiring stories about how we're doing a world of good in our own backyard®, read our spring newsletter.